1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a marking or labeling machine that includes a member such as a punch that is designed to press a ribbon against the peripheral surface of a workpiece for marking or labeling. The invention also relates to a marking or labeling method in which workpieces are successively brought into register with a marking member, such as a punch, or into register with a label applicator member.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the field of hot-marking, it is known, e.g. from WO-A-2008/142225, that it is possible to use a punch to press a marking ribbon against the peripheral surfaces of workpieces for marking that are mounted on six cores carried by a turntable. Those cores go successively to a loading position, to a marking position, to an inspection position, and to an unloading position, as well as to various intermediate positions. The speed at which the workpieces are marked depends on the mean speed of rotation of the turntable, which speed is, in practice, limited by the various operations that need to be performed on the workpieces for marking or that have already been marked, while the turntable is at a standstill.
It is also known from GB-A-1 558 536 to move cups between various stations in a print machine by means of four intermediate members hinged about a central axle and each of which is connected to the axle of a respective planet gear wheel. The various planet gear wheels interact, one after another, with a ramp of a cam that also turns about the central axle. The movements of the various intermediate members are interdependent insofar as a single cam is used to move said intermediate members, it being possible for said cam to interact with any one of the intermediate members only once said cam has already left or while it is leaving another intermediate member. The movements of two planet gear wheels overlap in time, but cannot take place at the same time, due to the fact that the single cam can take up only one angular position about the central axle at any one time.
Analogous problems arise with other marking machines, in particular screen-printing marking machines, and with labeling machines.